Folding box



March 23, 1937. J,-E, QTT 2,074,934

FOLDING BOX Filed Nov. 25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 1 I J/i/z [tern/0% J. E.OTT

March 23, 1937.

FOLDIN G BOX 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Nov. 25, 1932 mum a s am 6N mmw mmNw, NM I %N IN mmh Wm m&% g Q g 3 mm hm MM mhw mw mmw March 23, 1937. J.E, OTT 2,074,934

FOLDING BOX Filed NOV. 25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 March 23, 1937. J; OTT2,074,934 FOLDING BOX Filed Nov. 25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 59$ \GQQMarch 23, 1937. OTT 2,074,934

FOLDING BOX Filed Nov. 25, 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 (.228 g I I I:

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Patented Mar. 23 1937 NHTED STATE5 PATET OFFIQE FOLDING BOX ApplicationNovember 25, 1932, Serial No. 644,209

6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in folding boxes or crates inwhich the outer walls normally occupy a fiat relationship but areflexibly connected so that they may be formed into box 5 orcrate-forming relationship and assembled with respect to end walls toform a complete enclosure within which articles may be packed forshipment. Boxes or crates of this type have ordinarily been constructedas wire-bound boxes or crates in which the outer walls are flexiblyconnected and secured together by binding wires which permit these wallsto be folded about the outer edges of the end walls, but no satisfactorymethod has heretofore been provided for securing the end walls againstdisplacement longitudinally of the surrounding walls, resulting ininconvenience in assembling the box and damage to the goods beingshipped. The principal object of the present invention is to provide animproved folding box or crate having novel means for securing the endwalls to the surrounding folding walls so that the end walls remaindefinitely in place, even when the box is unfilled, and hold the bottomand side walls in assembled relationship during the proccess of filling.Still another object is to provide a folding box or crate comprising endwalls and surrounding folding walls having cooperating interlockingmetallic members which permit the end walls to be assembled readily withrespect to the folding walls and also allow the parts to be readilydisassembled when it is desired to unfold .or collapse the box or crate.A further object of the invention is to provide a folding box or cratehaving folding walls and cooperating end walls which are provided withmetallic strips adapted to be moved into interlocking engagement witheach other either by a relative longitudinal sliding motion or bypressing one member laterally against the other. Still another object ofthe invention is to provide a folding box or crate having end walls andsurrounding folding walls provided with interlocking metallic stripshaving beaded portions adapted to have a telescoping engagement witheach other and to be assembled by snapping one bead into position withinthe other. Another object of the invention is to provide a folding boxor crate comprising end walls and surrounding folding walls which areprovided with interlocking metallic strips secured to the walls in anovel manner and located so that they are not exposed to the contents ofthe box or crate. Other objects relate to various features ofconstruction and arrangement which will appear more fully hereinafter.

53 The nature of the invention will be understood one of the side wallsbroken away and with the top wall or cover in open position;

Fig. 2 is a perspective View of one of the end walls embodied in theconstruction shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cleats and the attachedmetallic member which are secured to. the ends of the side walls of theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the outer folding walls of the constructionof Fig. 1 when they have been unfolded to occupy one plane;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged horizontal section through one end of the box orcrate illustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal section similar to a portion of Fig. 5illustrating a modified form of construction in which the metallic stripcarried by the end wall is located on the outer face thereof;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal section similar to those of Figs. 5 and 6,showing a modified form of construction like that of Fig. 5, except thatthe beaded portions of the metallic strips are so formed as to permitthe bead on one strip to be snapped into interlocking engagement withthe bead on the other strip;

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 7, showing theparts of Fig. 7 before the end wall has been snapped into interlockingengagement with the metallic strip carried by the adjacent side wall;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 6, showing amodified construction in which the metallic strip is located on theouter side of the end wall and is capable of being passed intointerlocking engagement with the strip on the. side wall by a lateralmotion transversely to the axes of the interlocking beads;

Fig. 10 is a horizontal section like that of Fig. 9, showing the partsof Fig. 9 before they have been snapped into interlocking engagementwith each other;

Fig. 11 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 6, illustratinganother modification in which a metallic strip carried by the end wallhas a beaded portion which is snapped into interlocking engagement withan undercut groove formed in the cleat carried by the side wall;

Fig. 12 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 11, showing theend wall and side wall before the interlocking connection has beenformed;

Fig. 13 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 6, showing stillanother modification of the invention in which the beads on the metallicstrips are capable of being snapped into interlocking engagement witheach other and in which they occupy a recess formed in the cleat carriedby the side wall;

Fig. 14 is a horizontal section showing the parts of Fig. 13 before theyhave been snapped into interlocking engagement with each other;

Fig. 15 is a horizontal section like that of Fig. 6, showing a furthermodification. of the invention in which the interlocking beads aresnapped into engagement with each other and located in a recess in thewooden cleat carried by the side wall;

Fig. 16 is a horizontal section showing the parts of Fig. 15 in therelativepositions which they occupy before the beads are snapped intointerlocking engagement with each other;

Fig. 17 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 6, showing afurther modification in which the interlocking beads are snapped intoengagement with each other and occupy a recess formed by beveling theend of the end wall;

Fig. 18 is a horizontal section showingthe parts of. Fig. 17 before theyhave been snapped into assembled relationship;

Fig. 19 shows a top plan view of the outer folding walls of another formof crate in which the cleats on these walls are notched at theirextremities and areprovided with grooves for connection with the endwalls;

Fig. 20 shows a horizontal section on the line 20 -20 of Fig. 21,showing the connection of the end wall with the cleats of the side wallshaving the form shown in Fig. 19;

Fig. 21 is an end view of the completed crate embodying the foldingwalls of Fig; 19;

Fig. 22 is atop plan View of one endwall and a portion of a side wall ofthe crate shown in Fig.

Fig. 23 is a top plan view of the outer folding walls of a box in'whichthese walls are made up of fiberboard or the like havingv fold linesalong the longitudinal edges or corners of the box;

' Fig. 24 is a perspective view ofthe complete box position;

* Fig. 25 is a perspective view of one of theend wallsembodied in theconstruction illustrated in Fig. 24;

Fig. 26 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on the line 2626 of Fig.24; and

-Fig. 27 is a horizontal section similar to that of Fig. 26, showing theparts before the interlockingbeads have been passed into interlockingengagement witheach other.

\ As illustrated in Figs. '1 to 5, inclusive, the invention isillustrated as being embodied in a wirevbound box or cratecomprising abottom wall 25,

apair of side walls 26, a top wall 2'! and a pair of end walls 28. Thebottom wall 25, the side walls 25 and the top wall 21 are securedtogether bywires 29, or other flexible binders, which are attached. tothe outer sidesof these walls by means of staples 30 and these walls,when unfolded, occupy the relative positions shown in Fig. 4, so thatthe outer walls of a number of 1 preferably of wood and which areadapted to form a dovetailedconnection with two similar cleats 26 whichare secured to the inner sides of the end portions of .the side walls26. The

upper ends of the cleats/26 areadapted to form dovetailed connectionswith cleats 21 which are All secured to the inner side of the. top wall21. of ;these cleats are preferably put in place before .2! aresimilarly provided with tongues 2t? and 21 and grooves 26 and 21,respectively, so that when the walls are folded upon each other from therelationship-shown in Fig. 4 to the complete box or crate-formingrelationship, the tongue on the end of'one'cleat engages a groove in theend of a cleat on the next adjacent wall section, thus forming completedovetailed connections between the cleats of the folding wall members ateach corner of. each end of the box or crate.

The end walls 28 are preferably formed as comparatively thin woodensheets of rectangular form, the edges of which are adapted to besurrounded by the outer folding walls when the box or crate isassembledand they are adapted to seat against the inner sides of the cleats 25 26and 21swhich. are secured to the ends of these folding walls. .In orderto prevent inward movement of these end walls with respect to thecleats, after the boxv or crate has been assembled and filled, and alsoto facilitate the holding of the side walls and .end walls in properrelationship for filling, before the coverhas been put in place, theseend .walls are provided with means for forming interlocking connectionswith the end portions of the side walls. This is accomplished bysecuring to each vertical edge of each end wall 28 a metallic strip orlooking member 32 having formed along its outer edge an inwardly turnedbead 32 which is adapted to have a telescoping interlocking engagementwith the beaded portions 33 of two metallic strips or looking members 33which are secured to the ends of the side walls 26. The strips 32 aresecured to the end walls by wire stitching or staples 34, and thestrips-33 aresecured to the-cleats 26 of the side walls by wirestitching or staples 35. The strips 32 and 33 are ofequal length and arepreferably of such length as to extend between the inner ends of thetongue. 26 and groove 26 formed on the same cleat, as illustratedparticularly in Fig. 3. The outer portion of the bead 32 on each strip32 is located substantially flush with the outer edge of the wall 28 towhich it is attached and it is adapted to have a sliding telescopingengagement with the bead 32 on an adjacent side wall so. that after-thetwo side walls 26 have been folded into-positions wherein they liesubstantially at right angles to the bottom wallv 25, the end walls maybe moved downwardly aspillustrated in Fig. l, to cause the beads 32 atopposite edges of each end wall to interlock with the beads 33 lcarriedby the adjacent ends of the side walls. The extent of this movement islimited by the engagement of the lower edge of the end wall with theupper surface of the bottom wall and the upper edge of the .end wallthen lies in the same plane as the upper edges of the side walls; I Thebody portion of the bot tom wall is illustratedas extending slightlybeyond the ends of the cleats 25 attached thereto so that when thesidewalls have been folded to extend upwardlyfrom the bottom wall, theirlower edges rest upon the bottom wall and abut against the ends ofthecleats 25 The length of the binding wires 29 between adjacent wallsections, when the parts are in the flat relationship shownin Fig. 4-,is such as to permit the edges of the sidewalls torest onthe uppersurface of the bottom wall when these walls are assembled as shown inFig. 1 and to maintain the edges of these walls in contact with eachother. To facilitate the passing of the beads 32 into telescopingengagement with the beads 33*, the lower portions of the beads 32 arepreferably cut away along curved lines 32", as shown in Fig. 2, so thatthey are somewhat pointed at their lower ends and may be passed radiallyinto engagement with the upper ends of the beads on the side wallmembers. Although in this embodiment the side walls and top walls havebeen shown as being made up of separate longitudinal wooden membersspaced apart and secured to the cleats 2%, it will be apparent that theimproved features of the present invention may be embodied in a box inwhich all of the walls are continuous like the bottom wall 25. The endsof the binding wires 29 project beyond the upper edge of one side walland beyond one edge of the top wall and when the walls of the box orcrate have been assembled for filling, in the manner illustrated in Fig.1, so that when the box or crate has been filled, the top wall may befolded over the crate with its cleats 2'! forming dovetailed connectionswith the upper ends of the cleats 26 and with the body portion thereofoverlapping and resting upon the top edges of the side walls 26. 29 maythen be twisted together or otherwise secured in order to preventdisassembly of the walls of the box during storage and shipment.

In the form of the invention described above, the metal locking stripsare secured to the inner sides of the end walls, thus permitting the endwalls to seat directly against the inner sides of the cleats which areattached to the ends of the side walls. That relationship of the parts10- cates the metal strips in positions where they may contact with thecontents of the crate or box, which may be undesirable in the case ofsome commodities and there has been illustrated in Fig. 6 a modifiedform of construction which may be in all respects similar to thatillustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, except that the metal stripscarried by the end walls are located on the outer sides thereof and thebeads are so formed on this member and on the metal strips carried bythe side walls that the telescoping beads are interposed between theends of the end walls and the adjacent surfaces of the side walls, thusmaking it practically impossible for these metal strips to engage thecontents of the box or crate in the shipment of most commodities. Inthis modified construction, the surrounding folding walls, including theside walls 36 and bottom wall 3?, are secured together by binding wires38 attached thereto by staples 39. The side walls 36 have wooden cleats40 secured to the ends thereof and the end walls 4| are adapted to fitbetween the side walls on the inner sides of these cleats and to restupon the bottom wall 31. A metal locking strip 42 is secured to eachvertical edge of each end Wall 4| by means of staples 43 or the like,these members 42 being attached to the outer sides of the walls 4! sothat they contact directly with the inner faces of the cleats 49. Eachstrip 42' extends beyond the adjacent vertical edge of the end wall 4|to which it is attached and terminates in an inwardly turned bead 42adapted to have an interlocking telescoping engagement with acorrespondingly formed bead 43 which forms a part of a metal lockingstrip 43 secured to the end of the adjacent side wall 36 between thebody por- The ends of each binding wirev tion of the side wall and thevertical cleat 40. When'the parts are assembled, the telescoping beadsoccupy the space between the end of the end wall 4| and the adjacentinner face of the side wall and do not project into the interior of thebox beyond the inner vertical face of the end Wall. The parts of thismodified form of box or crate construction are assembled in the samemanner as described in connection with the form shown in Fig. 1.

In both forms of the invention heretofore described, the construction ofthe beads on the metallic locking members has been such as to requirethem to be passed into interlocking engagement with each other by arelative longitudinal sliding movement and, although this is aneffective and convenient way of bringing about the interlockingconnection in most instances, it has been found that a modified form ofconstructicn may be employed to permit the beads to be snapped intointerlocking engagement with each other by pressing one upon the otherin a direction substantially transverse to their longitudinal axes andthis method of procedure is more convenient in many instances. In Figs.I and 8 there is shown a modified form of construction which is in allrespects similar to that shown in Figs. 1 to 5, inclusive, except forthe formation of the beads on the interlocking members. In this form,the side wall 46 has secured thereto a vertical cleat ll which isengaged on its inner vertical face by the end wall 48. This end wall hasa metal locking strip 49 secured thereto by staples 50 and this strip isprovided along its edge with a bead 49 adapted to interlock with a bead51 formed upon another metallic locking strip 5! which is secured to theside wall 46 with the body portion thereof interposed between the sidewall and the cleat 41 which forms a part thereof. This strip 5| extendsinwardly beyond the position normally occupied by the end Wall 48 andterminates in the reversely curved half-bead 5W which is adapted tointerlock with the partial bead 4% formed on the strip 49 in the mannershown in Fig. 7. The interlocking connection is brought about by placingthe end wall 48 against the surface 41 of the cleat 41, as shown in Fig.8, and then effect ing relative movement of the side wall and the endwall in the direction indicated by the arrow 52 until the end wallreaches the position illustrated by dotted lines where the edge orextremity 5! of the bead 5| engages the outer surface of the bead 49 ata point 49 which is spaced inwardly from the center of curvature of thebead 49*, that is, toward the interior of the box from that center ofcurvature. This line of initial contact of the beads is also locatedoutwardly, that is, toward the end of the box, from the center ofcurvature of the bead 55 After this initial contact has beenestablished, the result of further pressure being exerted upon thecontacting parts is to cause the beads to yield position within the beadBI The metal of sufficiently to permit the bead 45 to snap into whichthe strips 49 and 5|] are formed should be comparatively stiff butitshould have sufficiently resiliency to permit this snapping action totake place with a return of the metal of the beads to its originalcondition as the bead 49" passes to a position within the bead 5P Ofcourse, this construction also permits the parts to be passed intointerlocking engagement by the sliding telescoping action described inconnection with Fig. 1, but it has the additional advantage that theparts may be snapped into-engagement with each other by first placingthe end wall on the bottom .wallabetween the upturnedsside .walls andthen snapping the :end wall directly intointerlocking engagement withthe: side walls by relative motion between them.

In Figs. 9-and IOthere is illustrated still-another form of theinvention in which the telescoping interlocking members may be snappedinto engagement with each other. This form is similar to thatillustrated in Fig. 6'except that the beads are formed to permit one tobe snapped into the other. .In this form, the side wall'53 is secured tothe other walls which surround the end walls 54 of the box or crate, bymeans of flexible binding wires which are attached .thereto bystaples'56. A vertical: cleat 51 is secured to each end of each sidewall 53 and. is engaged on its inner vertical face 51 by the metalliclocking strip 58 which is attached to the end wall 54 by means ofstaples 59 orthe like. The plate '58 extends beyond the verticaledge ofthe end wall and terminates in an inwardly: directed bead '58 which isadapted to interlock with a partial bead 6|] formed along the inner edgeof a locking strip 6|] whichis secured to the side wall 53 andinterposed between the body portion of the side wall and the cleat 51.In assembling the end wall 54 with respect to one of the side Walls 53,the end wall is first located in a position where the plate .58 engagesthe inner face 57 of the cleat as shown in'Fig. 10, and then a relativemovement of the side wall and the end wall is efiected in the directionof the arrow 6| with the result that the bead 58 is brought intoengagement with the extreme edge 60 of the head 60 as shown by dottedlines. The center'of curvature of the bead 58 is then located toward theend of the box from the line of contact and from the center of curvatureof the bead 68 so that on further pressure being exertedon' the'end walland side wall, themetal of these beadswhich is sufficiently resilientfor the purpose, yields to'allow the bead 58 to snap into positionwithin the bead 50 as shown inFig. 9. The advantages'of the telescopingmethod of assembly and the snapping method of bringing the partstogether are thus obtained in a construction in which the interlockingbeads are located in a space-between the: end of the endwall and theadjacent vertical face of the side wall.

The formof the invention shown in Figs. 11 and 12 is one in:which theinterlocking parts of the end wall and theside walls may be brought intotheir interlocking relationship either by a sliding action or a snappingaction and,.preferably, without the necessity of employing a metallicmember on either side wall. As here illustrated, the side wall 66 isattached to the other walls which are folded about the edges of the endwalls 61 by means of flexible binding wires 68 which are attachedthereto by staples 69. The side walls "66 have verticallyextendingwooden cleats I0 secured to the inner sides thereof andformedpreferably. of relatively hard wood or other material. .Each

- end wall has a metal locking strip 1| secured thereto by staples 12 orthe like and each strip'll terminates alongits outer edge in an inwardlydirected flange or bead a which engages and interlocks with anundercutgroove 10 formed in the inner portion of the member 10 adjacenttothe body. 'portion of the wall 66. This groove 10 extends directlyinwardly from the face 10 of the cleat and is enlarged at its inner endto form an undercut inclinedshoulder 10 adapted to be en- ,gaged by theextremity 1| b of the bead-1|. This interlocking" relationshiprmay' be:brought about by sliding the end wall =61 vertically downward withrespect to the cleats 78 on the sidewalls with the beads I lengagingsthe-grooves:10"; but it may be more convenientlyeffectedbyplacing: the end wall 61in the-position:illustrated by full lines inFig. 12 .and then movinglthe end-wall in the .directioniindicatedt by.the arrow l3 until the inner extremity of the bead H is compressed tosnap inwardly from the position shown by dotted lines in Fig. 12to theposition shown in Fig. 11. This requires the compression'of the innerportion of the bead "H to.permit'it to pass through the neck-l0! of theslotflfl and the bead then expands to interlock with the-inclinedshoulder In Figs. '13 and 14 there is, shown a modificationwhich-obtains the-advantage of permitting the end'wall to be snappedinto interlocking engagement with-the side wallwhile at the same timeconcealing the interlocking beaded members within a recessiormed in thewooden cleat so that noipartsof the metallicmembers areexposedto-contactwith. the contents of the box or crate. In'this'form,the sidewall is secured to" theother wallsswhich: surround the end wall11 by means of a flexible binder 18 secured thereto bystaples 19.Awooden cleat80-is secured to the'side wall l6:and;is engaged'on. itsinner face 80 by a-..metallic*locking strip 8| having along its outeredge-a bead-8 which is turned inwardly so that it occupies arecess 8|]formedby beveling the inner corner of the member-80 adjacent to'thesidewall. A metallic fastening'member 82 is secured totheside wallbetween the body portionrthereof and-the .cleat"80 .and the innerendthereof is turned inwardly to form. a half-bead 82 iwhichsinterlockswiththe bead 8|" when the walls of the '.box are assembled. These hooks orbeads may be 'interlocked 'witheach other by slidingathem intotelescoping-engagement as in assembling the -form. of .theinventionshown in Fig. lland theymay also be assembled by snapping the bead 8|into engagement with the bead BZaafter. locating the endwallsubstantially'in the position shown inFig. 14; from which positionit is moved in the" direction of the arrow 84 to cause the: bead 8| tobe compressed and passed throughthearestrictedpassage 85 between thetip82 of the bead 82 and the inclined'beveled face 80 ofthe cleat-80.This construction thus has the advantages of that shown in Figs. 11 and12-with the-addition that both of theinterlocking partsrarerof metallicconstruction.

In Figs.15 and-16*of thedrawings, there is illustrated still. anothermodification of the invention which is similar .to that shown in Figs.13 and 14, except that the beads areoppositely arranged so that the endwall may-be moved parallel tothe side-wall inacausing thebeads to snapinto inter- .lockingengagement. In this form, the side wall 86fissecured to'the other folding walls of the box or crate .by .-means offlexiblei'binding wires 81 which aresecured theretoby'staples 88. Avertically'extendingcleat 89 is secured to the side wall andis adaptedto-be engaged on its inner face 89* .by a metal lockingstrip Sliwhich issecuredto the outersidenof the :end wall.9|. The metal strip 90 has itsouter edge curled away from the end wall 9| to form a beadilll adaptedto interlock with a half-bead 92*. formed ona metal strip 92 which issecured to the side wall between the side wall and the cleat. 'When thebeads ill] and 92 are interlocked, they occupy a recess..89 formed inthe inner corner of the. cleatr89 adjacent to the side wall. FThestrip.92. is bent away from the side wall 86 and the half-bead 92 is formedby curling this inwardly bent portion outwardly toward the side wall sothat it terminates in an edge 92 which is spaced from the adjacent faceof the side wall a distance less than the width of the bead 90 Thispermits the parts to be assembled by locating the end wall 9|substantially in the position shown in Fig. 16 and then moving it in thedirection of the arrow 93 until the bead I30 engages and snaps intointerlocking connection with the bead 92 In Figs. 17 and 18 there isillustrated a construction in which beads adapted to snap intoengagement with each other are concealed merely by beveling the edges ofthe end wall. In this form, the side wall 95 is secured to the otherfolding walls of the box or crate by flexible binding wires 91 which aresecured thereto by staples 98. A metal locking strip 90 is secured tothe side wall 90 between the body portion of the side wall and theconnected cleat I00 and the strip 99 extends inwardly beyond the faceI00 of the cleat and terminates in a half-bead 99 adapted to interlockwith a half-bead I0 I formed upon another metal locking strip IOI whichcontacts with the face I00 of the cleat and is secured to the end wallI02. This end wall is provided along its vertical edges with beveledsurfaces I02 which are inclined away from the cleats I00 toward theadjacent side walls 96, thus forming vertically extending pockets orrecesses in which the interlocking body portions of the metal strips arelocated when the end walls of the box or crate are assembled withrespect to the side and bottom walls. These half-beads 99 and I0I may bepassed into engagement with each other by a relative sliding motionparallel to their longitudinal axes or they may be snapped intoengagement with each other by sliding the end wall over the surface I0 Ia of the cleat in the direction indicated by the arrow I03 in Fig. 18,

until the bead IIII snaps beneath the bead 99 due to the resiliency ofthe metal of which the locking strips are formed.

In Figs. 19 to 22, inclusive, there is shown another form of theinvention similar to that of Fig. 1 except that the ends of the cleatsof the side walls have a notched form to interfit with each other and adifferent construction is provided for interlocking the end walls withthe cleats of the side walls. This form includes a bottom wall I05, a.pair of side walls I06 and a top wall I01, all of which are securedtogether by a plurality of surrounding flexible binders I08 securedthereto by staples I09. Each wall is made up of one or more longitudinalmembers secured to a pair of transversely extending cleats. In thisinstance, the ends of the bottom wall I05 are secured to transversecleats I05 the ends of the longitudinal members of the side walls aresecured to cleats I06 and the ends of the longitudinal members of thetop wall I01 are secured to cleats I0'I All of these cleats arepreferably formed of wood and are of rectangular cross-section withnotches at their ends adapted to be engaged by portions of the ends ofthe cleats on adjacent wall members. The cleats I05 have notches I05 ineach end thereof forming projections I05 on each cleat adjacent thelongitudinal members which are secured to the outer side thereof. Thecleats I06 on the side walls, which extend vertically when the walls areassembled as shown in Fig. 21, are provided at their ends withrectangular notches I06 forming tongues IIIIi adjacent the longitudinalmembers which are secured to the outer sides thereof. The cleats IlJ'Iof the top wall are similar to the cleats I05 of the bottom wall, beingprovided at their ends with transversely extending notches I0'I leavingprojections 31. The cleats I06 are equal in length to the width of theside walls I06 and the cleats I05 and I0'I are of lesser I length thanthe width of the bottom and top walls I05 and I01, respectively, so thatwhen the walls are folded to form an enclosure of rectangularcross-section, as shown in Fig. 21, the projections I05 on the cleats ofthe bottom wall fit into the notches I0i3 at the lower ends of thecleats I06 of the side walls, and the projections I0'I at the ends ofthe cleats on the top wall fit into the notches I00 which are formed inthe upper end of the cleats on the side walls. When these parts are thusassembled with the cleats interfitting with each other as shown in Fig.21, the ends of the binding wires I00 can be secured together in anysuitable manner, for example, by twisting them together as shown at I08.

Before the top wall I0! is closed over the side walls and secured inplace by twisting the ends of the binding wires together, the end wallsIII] are put in position to hold the bottom wall and the side walls inbox-forming relationship during the operation of filling the enclosurewith the articles to be packed therein. Each end wall H0 is in the formof a fiat plate having secured to the outer sides thereof, and along itsvertical edges, a pair of metal strips III. These strips may be securedin place by staples H2 and they have their outer edges reversely bent toform channel-shaped portions II I terminating in flanges III which aredirected parallel to the body portion of the end wall and spacedoutwardly therefrom. These channel-shaped portions III are adapted tointerlock with grooves I00 of rightangular cross-section, which extendvertically in the cleats 26 of the side walls adjacent to thelongitudinal members of these side walls on the inner sides of thecleats, as shown particularly in Fig. 20. Each groove I06 comprises aportion I00 which extends at right angles to the longitudinal members ofthe side wall, and also a neck portion I00 which extends parallel to thebody portion of the side wall and provides a slot engaged by a part ofthe channel-shaped portion III of a strip on an end wall when the partsare assembled. During the process of assembly, the side walls I06 arefirst folded upwardly until they lie in vertical planes and then the endwalls I III are put in place by sliding them downwardly with the channelportions II I of the strips III having a telescoping engagement with thegrooves I06 which are formed in the cleats of the side walls. These endwalls then hold the side walls in their vertical positions while thecrate is being filled and, when the filling has been completed, the topwall I0I may be folded over the side walls and end walls, as shown inFig. 21, preliminary to twisting the ends of the binding wires I08together.

In all of the forms of the invention heretofore described, the foldingwalls of the box or crate have been attached to each other by flexiblebinding wires in the manner common in wire-bound boxes or crates but thefeatures of the present invention may also be employed in theconstruction of boxes or crates in which the folding walls are flexiblyconnected by means other than the usual binding wires and such a form ofconstruction is illustrated in Figs. 23 to 2'7, inclusive. In this form,the folding walls include a bottom wall II5, a pair of side walls II6, atop wall III and an upper flap II8 which is attached to the edge of oneofthe side walls II 6; All of these Walls are formedfrom a singlecontinuous sheet of fibreboard, cardboard or the like, which ispreferably operated upon by suitable pressure devices to formlongitudinal fold lines I I9 which'separate each wall from the adjacentconnected wall or walls. The bottom wall has secured to the innersidesof the ends thereof a pair of cleats II5 whichare beveledattheirends on angles of 45 10 degrees as shown at II5 and the side andtop walls are similarly provided with cleats II6 and I I1, respectively,which are beveled at their ends onangles of 45 degrees, as shown at I16' and I I'l These beveled endsofethe'cleats on the wall sectionspermit them .to be folded into the relationship shown in Fig. 24' withthe beveled ends of the cleats on adjacent wall sections contacting witheach other to form mitered joints. All of these cleats are secured totheir respective walls by 20 staples or wire stitching I20.

Thercleatscarried by the walls H5, H6, and IIl:are engaged-on theirinneredges by the end walls: IZI whichzarerpreferably formed of the materialof whichthe folding walls are constructediandwhichrhave metallockingstrips I22 secured :alongthevertical edgesthereof by means of staplesI23. Theselocking strips have inwardly.turned sbeads'I22 along, theirouter edges and these'ibeads are-adaptedto have-a telescoping 3interlocking.engagement'with' beads I24 which are formed on metallockingstrips I24 securedrto the side wallsaand'mountedbetween the bodyportions of these walls andthe cleats H6 thereof. These beads may bemoved into interlocking engagement witheach other'by a sliding action asexplained in connectioncwith the construction of Fig. 101' they'maybex-constructed to permit them to-be snapped into engagement witheachother as heretofore described. After'the end walls IZI 40havebeeniput irrplaceiand the top wall or cover III: hasbeenmfoldedsoverthem, the flap I I8 is folded over the edge of the topcover and then the flexible binder :in the form of a strap orwire,onmorezthan one'such binder, may be put around the .box andthe endsthereof connectedtogether topreenforce the boxxand'holdthe cover in itsclosedsposition'. It will be apparent that all of the modifications of;the invention illustrated in Figs. 6:to*22, inclusive; may be employedin connection with a folding box of the type illustrated in Fig. 24.

ln anymf'theiforms of the invention described above,thecleats"which arecarried by theend wallsmay be constructed at their ends to haveadove-tailed connection witheach other, as shown in Figs. 1 to 4,inclusive,-or they may have the inotched construction shown in Figs. 19.and 21, 01. they may be beveled at :their ends as shown in Figsi23and.24.

Although several forms of the invention have beenshownand described bywayof illustration, it will be understood that it may be constructedinstilla-other:embodiments coming within the scope of the appendedclaims.

5 I claim:

1.;The:combination in. a folding. box, of an end. .wall, a plurality. offiexiblyconnected walls adapted to befolded about the edges of said endwallgand metal stripscarriedby said end wall and opposite. folding.walls and having beaded portions adapted to formtelescoping engagement.

with each other along the vertical edges of said end wall, one: of saidbeaded portions. being open along one-side to permit it to be snappedinto engagement with the other beaded portion upon relative motionthereof transversely to a vertical edge of said end wall.

2. The combination in a folding box, of an end wall, a side wall, ametal strip securedto said end wall and having a vertical tubular beadat one edge thereof, and a second metal strip carried by said side walland having a vertical tubular bead adapted to form a telescopingengagement with said first-named bead, one of said beads'being openalong one side to permit it to be snapped into telescoping engagementwith the other bead upon pressing one against the other transversely totheir longitudinal axes.

3. The combination in a folding box, of an end wall, a plurality offlexibly connected walls including a side wall adapted to engage avertical edge of saidend wall, a metal strip secured to said end walland having a. bead extending along said vertical edgethereof, and asecond metal strip secured tosaidside wall and having an open bead alongone edge thereof adapted to receive and-forma telescoping engagementwith said first-named bead.

4. The combination in a box, of an end wall, a side wall, a metal stripsecured to said end wall and having the outer edgethereof turnedinwardly to form. a bead, a cleat secured to said side-wall and bearingagainst the outer side of said end wall, and. a metal strip secured tosaid side wall and having a part thereof turned'inwardly to form apartial bead terminating inan edge spaced from the inner surface of saidend wall a..distance less than the thickness of said bead formed on saidfirst-named strip, whereby said first-named bead can be snapped intointerlocking engagement with said partial beadby moving said end walltransversely to the plane of said side wall.

5. The combination in a box, of an end wall, a metal strip secured tosaid end wall and having the outer edge thereof turned inwardly to forma bead, a cleat secured tosaid side wall and adapted to bear against theouter side of said end wall, and a metal strip secured to said side walland having one edge thereof turned inwardly opposite said cleat to forma partial bead spaced from the face of said cleat which is adapted to beengaged by said end wall, said partial bead being positioned to form aninterlocking engagement with said first named bead when said end wall ismoved laterally toward said side wall.

6. The combination in a folding box, of a plurality of. flexiblyconnected walls, cleats secured to opposite .walls at their ends, an endwall adapted to bear against said cleats, elongated metal strips.secured to said walls and terminating in hook-shaped edge portionsspaced from said cleats, and other elongated metal strips secured tosaid endwall on the side thereof opposite said cleats and having edgeportions positioned to engage and snap into interlocking engagement withthe edge portions of said first named metal strips upon relativemovement of said end wall and said opposite walls transversely to saidopposite walls.

JOHN EKERN O'II.

